WEEHAWKEN AND BEYOND -- Former Hudson County Freeholder and former West New York Commissioner Gerald Lange has been hired as a part time consultant to the Weehawken Parking Authority for an annual stipend of $5,000, Weehawken officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Weehawken officials dispelled rumors that the hiring was meant to keep Lange from running for mayor of West New York if and when Mayor Felix Roque steps down due to Roque's recent indictment.

Roque was charged with involvement into allegedly hacking into an anti-Roque website. He ran for his office in 2011 and beat a mayoral ticket that included then-incumbent Lange.

Lange, along with former West New York Mayor Sal Vega, is among a number of people who were rumored to be considering throwing their hats into the mayor’s race.

But if Lange ran, he would likely oppose current West New York Commissioner Carridad Rodriguez for the mayor's slot, and Rodriguez supposedly already has the support of Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner.

Weehawken officials said Lange was hired because of his familiarity with the grid work of streets in Weehawken and because he was willing to work part time at a salary much less than the township would have to contract for if hiring a firm.